All for You

Zack and I held hands merrily as we walked through the quiet streets of Arizona. Even though the weather was horrifically hot, the banana smoothie I had in my hand from my boyfriend kept me cool against the sun’s heat.

“Andy, you make me so happy,” the muscled man next to me said as I smiled giddily.

I stopped and turned to face him and grabbed his face in my hands as I did so. His teeth beamed through his smile just before I kissed him hard straight on his lips. Once I was done, I then kissed his cute nose and grabbed my smoothie from off the sidewalk. “You make me happy too, Zack. I can’t even explain how much I adore you.”

His eyes darted around the scenery, trying so hard to keep his eyes off of mine before he started speaking. “You know what, Andy? I'm in love with you. I love the way you smile when I say something that makes you happy. I love the way you snort when you laugh too hard. I love the way you have amazing things to say no matter the circumstance. I love the way your touch feels and I just love you. I love everything about you, Andrea.”

A smile consumed my face as I kissed Zack passionately. Once our lips parted I began to talk. “Zack, I love you too, and I promise I’m not just saying that. I love the way you open up just around me and I love the way your smile lights up my own. I love the way you sing for me on our walks home. I love the way you’re so romantic yet silly around me. I just love you; I'm so in love with you, Zack.”

I hugged him so tightly my fingers began to hurt as I dug them into Zack’s shoulder blades. Feeling his strong arms around me made me feel so safe and happy; I couldn’t even explain how much he meant to me. To think that I changed all of my bullshit ways for this man, it was amazing. He truly saved me from myself.

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The two of us walked into our huge hotel room with smiles on our faces. It truly took everything in me not to hold his hand. As I walked into the living area of the largest room a hotel could offer, I saw Jack, Aria, and Matt drinking champagne on the fluffy black couches that sat in front of a large plasma screen. Even though I had just walked in and was a good ten feet away from my sister and my friends; I could still smell the alcohol on their breaths, indicating that they already had one too many.

Alex then entered the room from his sleeping room on the right side of the suite and gave me a big hug. “You know, Andy? I really love you, and I don’t say it enough.”

“I love you too, Alex,” I replied as I hugged him back awkwardly. Even though I loved my brother, his buzz made me uncomfortable.

Aria then got up and hugged me even tighter than Alex as she spilled some of the contents of her glass on my green tank top. “How was your date with Zack, baby sis?”

My boyfriend’s eyes and my own widened as huge as saucers at her comment with my overbearing brother standing just two feet away. “What date?”

“The one you told me about, silly! I know you two lovebirds went out and did something. You’ve been dating about a month now, right? Have you guys done the deed?” She laughed as she dropped her glass filled with liquid on the ground; causing her to laugh even more.

“What?” Alex said stiffly as he stared down both Zack and I. “Are you fucking serious? That’s why you guys have been hanging out so much? I thought it was because you two were friends! How could you two betray my fucking trust like that? How could you fucking get with my sister you dick?”

“Alex, let me explain,” Zack responded innocently, trying his best to keep his own anger at bay.

My brother shoved Zack into the white door before speaking again. “No, I don’t want to hear any damn explanation. You are with my 16 year old sister! Not only is it illegal, it’s fucking gross dude. I can’t believe you would do that to me and take advantage of her like that.”

“He isn’t taking advantage of me, Alex! We’re in love, not fuck buddies you idiot,” I spat at him as I pushed him away from his too-close distance to Zack.

“In love?” He questioned as he began laughing sarcastically. He moved his way right up to my face before talking once more. “You wouldn’t know love if it bit you in the ass, Andrea.”

“Fuck you!” I yelled at him as I smacked him straight across the face. The group of our mutual friends that had gathered around the argument all gasped at my actions, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t take Alex treating me like I was four years old; I’d been through more shit in my 16 years than he could ever imagine. I didn’t need his bullshit.

Just as I was about to walk away, my brother smacked me just as hard on my left cheek and I gasped myself. That’s when Zack’s anger finally bubbled over. He ripped Alex’s scrawny body away from mine and punched him in the face. I felt my heart stop for a moment as the two began punching each other time after time after time.

Aria and I both screeched madly as Jeff, Rian, Evan, and Matt intervened and managed to get the two apart. This tour was supposed to change everything. It was supposed to make Aria, Alex, and I closer like we were when we were kids. This was our chance to get to know each other again, but it did the opposite; it ripped the three of us even farther apart.